A 45-year-old American woman and 35-year-old man from Sierra Leone faced Melbourne Magistrates Court this morning, related to the importation of approximately 1kg of heroin into Australia concealed inside shampoo bottles.

Customs and Border Protection officers stopped the woman for questioning when she arrived at Melbourne International Airport on October 13, from Nepal via Hong Kong.

During a subsequent baggage examination, officers x-rayed a shampoo bottle in the woman’s possession. The x-ray revealed an image consistent with a concealment.

The bottle was subsequently opened and a package containing powder was found.

Presumptive testing of the powder indicated a positive result for heroin.

A further two shampoo bottles were located during the examination, which returned positive results for a narcotic concealment.

On October 15, the Australian Federal Police arrested the Sierra Leone man as he attempted to take possession of the bottles.

He was charged with attempting to possess a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug contrary to section 11.1 & 307.6 of the Criminal Code Act 1995.

The woman was charged with importing and possessing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug contrary to section 307.2 and 307.6 of the Criminal Code Act 1995.

The maximum penalty for these offenses is 25 years imprisonment and/or a $550,000 fine.

Source: AFP and Customs

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